Abstract

The theme of my research is spirits smuggling and its control on the northern coast of the Gulf of Bothnia during the
prohibition. Smuggling is a crime in which required orders of importing and exporting goods are not followed. This research
concentrates on the import of spirits (smuggling) and smuggling of spirits in the mainland. The research does not focus on
other crimes against the prohibition such as selling, possession, storage and production of spirits. In this research I
concentrate on smuggling as a social phenomenon. One of the most crucial questions in the research is to clarify how spirits
smuggling was practised, by whom and why. The intention is to show how people tried to conceal the activity and how smuggling
changed during the prohibition. I will also bring out how smuggling was seen in the work of the authorities and in life in
general in the area in question. I present the smugglers according to their profession, age and place of domicile. In this
way I try to draw up a picture of a "typical" smuggler during the prohibition. In the same context I debate what made people
break the law so widely and in such a fragrant way?

After the prohibition came into force spirits smuggling started quite slowly at the bottom of the Gulf of Bothnia. In 1924
the railways lost their position as the most important smuggling route. Maritime routes and spirits ships took their
position. The main reason for this change was that bigger amounts of spirits could be brought to the region and could be
delivered to other parts in the North of Finland. Because smuggling had moved to sea smugglers were obliged to think of good
hiding places for spirits due to the great amounts of spirits. The sea and the islands were utilized in hiding the spirits.
In the first years of the prohibition the proportion of local inhabitants was rather small. A typical smuggler was a worker
under 30 years of age, from Helsinki, carrying some 20 litres of spirits. Together with the spirits ships smuggling changed
into the hands of local people, because they were well acquainted with the sea, the islands and the shores of their region.
The biggest vocational group of smugglers was that of working men. Economic profit both for the carrier and the boss was a
great temptation for smuggling.

There were great difficulties in controlling the prohibition immediately after the law had come into force. The attitude of
the people becomes the biggest problem. General opinion did not consider prohibition necessary. Part of the citizens even
favoured the actions of smugglers. The reason for this was their need of spirits.